The final chapter ofThe Literacy Connectionwill soon come to an end, but the Janesville-based nonprofit
could have an epilogue if it finds a partner organization to take over.

For 45 years, The Literacy
Connection has served northern Rock County adults who want to improve their reading
skills or job prospects. But dwindling volunteer numbers and depleted funding
sources made it difficult to continue, and the organization will close its
office Dec. 15, President Rick Mueller said.

“Even though we've had very strong
support from our sponsors … it became very evident that having a small
standalone office just wasn't going to work for us,” he said. -“We just weren't
able to do the things we needed to do with the staff we had here.”

The adult literacy organization
announced the news in a statement posted Tuesday on its Facebook page. Many of
the group's long-time tutors are getting older, making it harder for them to
volunteer. Its two part-time employees could not find enough replacements, he
said.

The United Way and other grant
programs have supported The Literacy Connection for many years, and that
funding has been crucial to success, Mueller said. But the funding application
process requires nonprofits to meet certain benchmarks to demonstrate their
effectiveness, he said.READ MORE @

Newly formed
Literacy is For Everyone program to hold dedication Saturday at Potsdam Public
Library

The newly formed literacy
program Literacy is For Everyone (LIFE), will hold a dedication on Saturday,
Nov. 19, at 2 p.m. at thePotsdam
Public Library, 2 Park St.

Literacy of Northern New York ended
in September because its parent organization did not believe the organization
was financially viable.

In response, the library has adopted
the LNNY adult literacy program and its one employee, Maria Morrison.

That program now joins the library’s
children’s and digital literacy programs under one literacy umbrella, overseen
by Sarah Sachs, Public Services Manager and staffed by Bobby Gordon, Public
Computer Center Coordinator and Maria Morrison, Literacy Program coordinator.

Plymouth Library Trustees presented
to selectmen the library’s chief four goals for the next five years and
expanding the literacy program topped the list.

Library director says the program is
in high demand and unique to the region.

ThePlymouth Libraryoffers classes
in English as a second language, high school equivalency test preparation, job
placement and college entrance assistance. The -Plymouth program is so much
like a school, it’s funded by the state’s education department.

“We are funded by the department of
elementary and secondary education which is not a common occurrence in
public libraries,” said Harris.

Plymouth Library offers its literacy
program to the entire region. The main branch of the Plymouth Public Library is
located on South Street, Exit 5 off Route 3.

When Yudith San Miguel Ramos moved to
Lethbridge from Cuba in 2008, she spoke very little English. It was a time she
calls “very stressful and challenging.”

Thanks to theRead On Adult Literacy Programat the Lethbridge Public Library, she was able to gain the
literacy skills she needed to thrive in her new home.

Now more adults and families will
receive the literacy and learning skills they need with a $260,000 grant for
the Read On program, announced by Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt on
Thursday.

It’s the largest grant offered
through the government’sCommunity Adult Learning Program. The CALP assists 130 organizations province-wide to help
Albertans access foundational learning opportunities, such as reading, writing
and occupational training.

“About one out of every five
Albertans struggles with literacy skills, so it’s really important to provide
the kinds of programs, like the Read On program here, to give =Albertans with
those low literacy skills the opportunity to improve their skills so they can
move on to bigger and better things,” said Schmidt.

Hearing stories from people whose
lives have been changed validates the need for investment in these programs, he
said.READ MORE @